Benue Maps Out 10 Year Dev.Plan As HIV Prevalence Drops.

                                     

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, today disclosed that his administration would map out a 10-year development plan for the state.

He spoke at the end of a two-day retreat he organized for members of the state executive council.

In a press release signed by SA Media Tahav Agevzua,The Governor said he would harmonize the plan with the manifesto of the All Peoples Congress, APC, and the blueprint of his administration "Our Collective Vision for a New Benue."

According to him the absence of a long term development plan leads to duplication of projects by the various tiers of government.

He said although the plan would extend beyond his administration he would make efforts to make the people of the state to domesticate it in their overall best interest.

Governor Ortom also set up a committee to reduce the presentation by Brother Gbile Akanni, entitled "Effective Leadership Delivery in Government: Principles and Practice."

The Committee comprises the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff and Special Adviser to the Governor on Research and Documentation.

Its terms of reference included to examine the paper critically with the view to converting it into a workable document.

Governor Ortom explained that the decision to constitute the committee was borne of the need to implement the recommendations raised in the paper.

He disclosed that he made a covenant with God in 2009 to dedicate his life to his service and that of humanity adding that he has vowed not to have an affair with any other woman throughout his life and that if such should happen he would prefer God to take his life.

In another development, Director General of the National Agency for Control of Aids, NACA, Professor John Idoko disclosed that the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in Benue State has dropped from five to two percent.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Governor Ortom, Professor Idoko urged that support for programs for the control of the disease should be sustained so that it does not bounce back.

In his response Governor Ortom pledged support and reiterated his administration's commitment to partner with development partners and also pay counterpart funding.